Tips For Making Your Carpet Choice
If you walk into any carpeting store, you’ll find yourself amazed at all of the choices that are there for you to pick from. You’ll find textured plush carpets, saxony carpets, berber carpets, and even commercial grade carpets. There are carpets that can be installed wall to wall, and carpets that can be cut to size with bound edges and carpet squares.
Right Carpet For Your Home
Your first consideration when purchasing a new carpet should not be color, even though it is important. Your first consideration should be how much traffic you are going to have on the carpet. If you plan to put carpet in the bedroom, then it won’t have as much traffic as carpet in the living room.
Stain resistance will also be important. This is something to think about with any carpet, especially carpet that is going to be used in a dining room or play room area where there will be a steady stream of food or possibilities for spills.
You’ll also want to inquire about the rating of the carpet as well. Indoor carpeting is normally rated on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest rating. Carpets with a 5 rating are considered the best for heavy traffic areas. Rating of 4 are considered outstanding and recommended for heavy traffic areas of your home.
Ratings of 2.5 to 4 would provide normal durability for your home. Carpets that rate 2.5 or lower should only be used with light traffic areas, such as bedrooms. Choosing carpet based on the type of traffic it will receive can help you save a lot of money down the road, although you should buy carpet suited to your needs and requirements.
The highest quality of carpet you can buy is carpet made of wool. Wool carpets are very expensive, although you’ll reap the benefits over years of use as wool will easily out perform any man made carpet. Two of the best benefits of wool carpet include its natural soil resistance and it’s ability to retain appearance, meaning it won’t crush or wear down like other carpets.
The downside to wool carpet, is the fact that it is out of reach for most of us. If you can’t afford to have woolen carpet installed throughout your entire house, then you should instead have it installed in the room that receives the highest amount of traffic.
There are several different man made carpets that you can choose from as well. If you have a high traffic area, then nylon would be an ideal choice due to the durability. Nylon is stain resistant as well, and repels mildew.
Carpets made of olefin is also a great choice for high traffic areas as it is very strong and easy to clean. Polyester is another good carpet as it is easy to clean and repels water based stains. Polyester is known for the look and feel of wool, although it is much less expensive.
The color consideration is also important. Light colored carpets create an effect of a larger space, although they do tend to show stains more easily. Dark carpets on the other hand tend to absorb light, giving a room what many know as the “cozy feeling”.
When you find a carpet that appeals to you, you should ask to take a piece of it home. Look at it during natural daylight and at night under an artificial light to see if the color changes at all.
Types of Carpet
The carpet market is a vast market, with many types to choose from. Below, you’ll find the several different types of carpet and what they will offer you and your home.
Woven
Woven carpet is produced on a loom that is very similar to woven cloth, being cut pile. There are many different colored yarns being used and the entire process is capable of producing very intricate patterns from designs that are pre-determined. Normally, woven is the highest quality of carpet on the market.
Tufted
This type of carpet is produced on a tufting machine by using either a single colored or sometimes a non colored yarn. If non colored is being used, then the carpet will be dyed or printed with a design as a separate process. Carpets that are tufted can either be cut pile, loop pile, or a combination of both. Machines can produce a lot more meters of carpet than weaving, and they are normally at the lower end of the market.
Needlefelt
The needlefelt type of carpet is a bit more technologically advanced. They are produced by electrostatic attraction of individual fibers that form a unique carpet with extremely high durability. You can normally find needle-felt carpet in the contract market such as in hotels or other places where there is always going to be a lot of traffic.
Flatweave
The flatweave carpet is created by interlocking warp and weft threads. The types of oriental flatwoven carpet include soumak, plain weave, and tapestry weave. This type is not well known in the North American region, although it is very popular in the orient and Japan.
Hooked rug
This is a simple construction of rug that is handmade by pulling strips of cloth such as wool or cotton through the meshes of a very sturdy fabric. Now, this type of rug is generally known as a handicraft.
Knotted pile
With knotted pile carpets, the structural weft threads will alternate with a supplementary weft that will rise from the surface of the weave at a perpendicular angle.
Cut and loop piles
The cut and loop pile combines both looped and cut fibers. They provide a variety of surface textures for medium durability. Cut and loop carpets are available in either solid or different colors. The several different layers in this carpet can hide dirt and footprints in formal and informal areas.
Saxony
Saxony consists of tightly twisted cut piles that are heat set straight. They consist of two or more fibers that have been twisted together in a yarn, and they provide a very soft texture for informal as well as formal areas. They will show each and every footprint and even marks from vacuum cleaners.
Textured saxony
Textured carpet is the best selling and it works well in informal areas due to the very soft feel. They are tightly twisted and texture headset for medium durability. They also offer a multi colored look that will hide tracks and footprints.
Plush/velvet
Both plush and velvet are lightly twisted and offer a uniform color. They are very soft and offer more level than textures. This type of carpet is ideal for formal areas due to it’s luxurious appearance.
Frieze
Frieze is a highly twisted cut pile type of carpet that is suited for high traffic areas. It has short fibers that will tend to curl in different directions at the surface to hide footprints and vacuum marks.
Level loop pile
The level loop pile is constructed by weaving even loops of yarn into carpet backing at both ends. This type of carpet is durable as well as track resistant, due to the strong loops. Higher loops in the carpet will create a more luxurious look. They are also great because they will prevent dirt from filtering on into the carpet.
Antique Carpet
Antique type carpets help to add a touch of grandeur and glamour to your home or office, speaking greatly about your rich and extravagant tastes. Antique
carpets are beautiful home furnishings and solid art investments. They aren’t just decorative items, but pieces of tradition, ethnicity, and true class that dates back thousands of years.
Antique carpets represent enormous range in motifs and color harmonies and you’ll simply lose yourself seeing the diverse combinations of rich antique colors and heavy intricate weaving.
The diverse range of antique carpet pieces that you’ll encounter while shopping for them are mostly Oriental carpets and rugs that portray the mystery and legend of the far off lands of the Orient.
Antique carpets and rugs are imported mostly from China, Persia, India, Afghanistan, Caucasus, and Turkey. Some of the famous weaving areas of such antique carpets include Kashan, Agra, and many other locations.
Antique carpets have a more artistic integrity, as they are exclusively hand woven. They are sold all over the world, with clients more than willing to pay whatever they have to in order to redefine their home and decorate in style.
If you are looking to add luster and glamour to your home or office and are ready to spend a fortune on the exquisite pieces of art, then you shouldn’t wait a single minute.
The first thing to do, is contact one of the several reliable, knowledgeable, and genuine art dealers and galleries who deal in antique carpets and have profound knowledge about the various aspects of a good and genuine antique carpet. They can guide you in selecting the best one per your budget and tastes.
You’ve got a bit of work to do as well. You should visit a lot of dealers and educate yourself about dyes, wools, design quality, and the many styles of weaving as well. Touch the carpet and scrutinize them carefully. Beware of the machine made synthetic carpets that some dealers will tell you are antique carpets.
Below, are some tips to help you when buying antique carpet.
- You have to remain careful and thoughtful while analyzing each piece of antique carpet.
- You’ll also need to try and understand the age and origin of the carpet that will in turn give you a much better insight about the overall quality of the carpet.
- You’ll also need to look and see if the edge and borders are there in the antique carpet you intend to buy, as the end and edge borders are sometimes lost or even cut out on purpose. Keep in mind that the borders will determine the overall value of your carpet.
- Keep an eye out for holes and moth attacks that are both common when dealing with antique carpets. These problems must be attended to before you buy the carpet.
- You should always deal with dealers who have the prices marked on the carpet. See to it that your dealer sticks to that price.
Carpet Tiles
Anytime it involves your floors, you shouldn’t limit yourself to just carpet, but try the newer carpet tiles instead. Carpet tiles are available in an array of designs and a great choice of materials as well. Bordered, geometric, contemporary, or bamboo – will give your floors a complete makeover and a great look as well.
When you go out to buy carpet tiles, you’ll need to think about where you plan to install them. The tiles will vary in density as well as thickness. Carpet tiles with more thickness have a cushion so that it’s soft on the surface, making them ideal for homes. They will also provide a degree of thermal insulation as well. The thinner types of tiles are best for offices, gyms, and other high traffic areas. All carpet tiles are easy to maintain and will last you for a long time.
The tiles will come in a variety of materials and patterns. If you choose, you can make your home a greenhouse by using bamboo carpet tiles, or you can choose terracotta carpet tiles that will give your interior an earthly feel.
You may just want to liven things up a bit or play down your floor, depending on the look you are going for. Carpet tiles that are made from foam, rubber, linoleum, and vinyl are best for children’s rooms, office spaces, or other high traffic areas. The cost for the tiles will depend on their thickness and density, which means that the prices can range from 1$ per square foot up to 40$ per square foot.
Tiles for carpet will offer you several advantages when you compare them to wall to wall carpets. They are easy to install and easy to transport, as you can install them without having to move any furniture! They are very durable as well, and will last longer than most types of carpet even when they are used in high traffic areas.
You can also unleash your creative side as well with carpet tiles. You can mix and match different tiles, or use a color for the border and even create a distinctive look using various patterns. Unlike wall to wall carpet, you don’t need any professional help in case of tear, wear, or staining. If they become
torn or stained, just replace that tile with a new one.
There are carpet tiles available to fit each and every taste, even budget and furnishings style as well. As they are less expensive, they will offer you the chance to experiment with your interior. Pretty much the same with carpets, the installation of tiles is very important.
They must be installed on hard surfaces, such as stone, cement, or ceramic tile. The surface has to be smooth and clean, so the adhesives will last and your floor will have a well finished look. The carpet tiles will normally have cushion or padding already installed, which will reduce the cost and extend the life of the carpet.
Cheap Carpeting
When it comes to carpet for your home, you may want carpet that you install yourself. There are ways that you can carpet a room very cheaply, without having to spend a lot of money. Carpet can get very expensive in a hurry, which is why saving money is so very important to those on a tight budget.
One very cheap way you can carpet a room is by using carpet samples. This is actually considered new carpet, as samples aren’t considered to be used.
You can buy samples of carpet for .25 cents a piece at closeout sales or at your local hardware or carpet store. Depending on the size of the room you are
looking to carpet, how many samples you’ll need will vary. You’ll also need staples as well, which cost around a dollar or so. Most of the time, you can expect to pay a dollar or so for each square of carpet, which is still considered to be cheap carpet.
Keep in mind that using samples or square is a very unusual style and you have to think about the resale value of your home. If you have a trailer or mobile
home, then the style is probably going to be unusual and cheap to start with. If you have an expensive or mid priced home, then you may decide to use cheap carpeting in the basement, playroom, or in a children’s playhouse.
If you are doing a children’s playroom, using multi-colored carpet is perfect. It is very colorful and if a spill stains one of the squares of carpet, you can quickly and easily pull it back up and install a new one. This is a great advantage to doing a playroom this way.
Installing your cheap carpet The only things you’ll actually need when you install carpet samples or squares in a room is a carpet knife and a staple gun. The 5/8″ staples seem to work the best for squares and samples.
All you need to do is put the carpet piece in place and staple in two or three staples along each side. Make sure you wiggle the head of the stapler down deep between the fibers, or between the border and the fibers, so you can hide the staples as much as possible.
If you are carpeting a basement floor, you can use carpet tape instead of staples. With either case, this is best to do when padding isn’t that important. You can use padding as well if you don’t mind the complications, although without it, its pure simplicity.
You may also choose to lay out your pieces of carpet first, then decide where each individual piece will go. When you reach walls, heating sources, or other obstacles, you can quickly and easily cut the pieces to fit. If you happen to make a mistake, it will cost you around a dollar, instead of costing you a fortune. When you make a mistake, all you have to do is start over a new piece of carpet.
Before you begin to put the carpet down, you should always estimate how many pieces you will need, and then call around to find a store that has enough samples for the room.
Although the samples will range in size at different stores, the average is 18 X 18 inches. If you use pieces that are the same size, you’ll find things to be much easier. Even though you may be paying a dollar a piece, it rounds out to less than .50 cents per square foot to carpet your room of choice – which is really cheap carpet!
Carpet Choices
When you select carpet for your home, you have many things to consider and many different options to weigh as well. Carpets come in many different colors
and styles, textures and fibers, and there are many different qualities to choose from as well.
The two most popular choices of carpet today are the loop pile and cut pile. Loop pile has individual strands of yarn pulled through the backing of the carpet twice, which creates a small loop.
The cut pile has the loop cut at the top, leaving tufts of yarn that stand straight up. Cut pile is normally more durable than looped pile. Cut piles come in many styles, such as shag, textured, saxony, and velvet. Loop pile choices include berber, cable, or sisal. For high traffic areas, loop pile is an excellent choice.
One of the factors with choosing your carpet is the cost. Even though there is nothing more luxurious than having wool carpeting in your home, most of us can’t afford wool. If you are able to afford wool carpeting you’ll find that even though it costs more to install, it will prove to be far more superior than any other type of carpeting. There is no man made carpet fiber that come close to the durability, rich look, or even the feel of wool – which can also last for 30 years or more.
Acrylic carpeting is very similar to wool, and sometimes referred to as man made wool. It is resistant to moisture, fading, mildew, crushing, and staining, although it isn’t recommended for high traffic areas.
Nylon carpeting is also popular, as it is recommended for high traffic areas. Nylon is one of the most expensive types of synthetic fibers, although it is still cheaper than wool.
Olefin is a low cost carpet material, often used for indoor or outdoor carpeting. Olefin is colorfast and strong, very easy to clean. One of the draw backs to olefin is that it can easily be crushed.
Another consideration you’ll have is the color and patterns of the carpet. Light carpeting colors help to create a spacious effect, making the room appear to be larger. Light color carpets will of course, show much more soil than dark colors.
If you have pets around the house or little kids, dark colors may be your best bet. There are many different varieties of dark colors, which is great for those interested in style. Dark colors are ideal for stains or pets, as they don’t show soiled areas near as much as light colored carpets.
If you end up selecting light colors around pets or little kids, you’ll find yourself having to work twice as hard to make stains less noticeable. It would be easier and also smarter to select a dark color and make it easier on yourself.